LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Ciiap,. Copyright Xo. 

Shelfj Gc4T5 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



A CENTURY 



OF 

METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 




By ROBERT THOMAS. 



PRESS OF 
GERMANTOWN INDEPENDENT. 
I8 95 




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1895, by 
ROBERT THOMAS, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C- 



PREFACE. 



To the Members and Friends of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 
Germantown: 

At the request of many members of the "Methodist Episcopal 
Church" in Germantown, I shall endeavor to give you a brief his- 
tory of the rise and progress of Methodism in this place; as I have 
gathered it from the records of the churches and other sources, 
as well as from my own knowledge and experience as a member 
of the Church from the year 1827 down to the present time; together 
with some of the incidents connected therewith; and some of the 
more striking traits or peculiarities of its ministers and members. 



January, i8g^. 



ROBERT THOMAS. 



METHODISM 

IN 

GERMANTOWN. 



The first sermon preached in Germantown by an ordained minister 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which we have any record, was 
by the Rev. Francis Asbury, on Monday, March 31st, 1773, in the Dutch 
Reformed Church, on Market Square, on the site now occupied by the 
"Market Square Presbyterian Church." Prior to that date there had 
been occasional preaching in Germantown by Local Preachers. In the 
year 1794, or in the early part of 1795, the Methodists were granted the 
privilege of holding meetings in the Academy Building, on School-house 
lane, and continued to worship there for several years. (See minute 
book of the Academy.) 

On the eighteenth day of May, 1796, Ezekiel Cooper preached in the 
Academy, and again on June 4th, of the same year. He then organized 
a class, consisting of about eleven members, and appointed Joseph 
Jacobs (a Wesleyan from England) leader. Prior to this date there had 
been class meetings held in Germantown; but this was the first regularly 
organized class of which we have any record. (See "Lights on Early 
Methodism," more properly, the biography of Ezekiel Cooper, page 230). 

Brother Jacobs continued to be ! the leader of said class for a short 
time only, and was succeeded by Jacob Butcher, who continued to be a 
leader for many years. The writer of this has frequently attended the 
meetings of the class led by Brother Butcher, which, for several years, 
met in the house of Elizabeth Thomas (mother of the writer), on the 
Main street, between Mill street and Armat street, as now opened. 

In the year 1799, Jacob Reger, a resident of Germantown, desired 
to take unto himself as his wife, Dorothy Shrader, daughter of Hannah 



4 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



Shrader; both mother and daughter were members of St. George's Church, 
and lived in the city of Philadelphia. The mother objected to the mar- 
riage, on account of there being no Methodist meetings held in German- 
town; the Academy building at that time being closed against them, Mr. 
Regar promised the mother that if she would consent to her daughter 
marrying him, and they making their home with him in Germantown, 
he would take both mother and daughter to St. George's Church on 
Sundays until there should be regular services by the Methodists in 
Germantown. Upon this promise, the mother gave her consent, and on 
the twelfth day of November, 1799, Jacob Reger was married to the 
daughter, Dorothy Shrader, by the Rev. Ezekiel Cooper. (See Church 
record of St. George's Church. ) 

At this time Jacob Reger was not a member of the Church. Mother 
and daughter moved to Germantown. Brother Reger kept his promise, 
and soon after that date opened his house for public worship. The house 
is still standing on the southeast side of Haines street, about midway 
between the Main street and the present parsonage. From that time on 
until the year 1803, the Methodists, whose motto was, and ever should 
be, "Onward and Upward," held their meetings in private houses; 
sometimes in the house of Brother Reger, sometimes in the house of 
Brother Joseph Jacobs, a frame house which stood at the corner of 
Main and Mill streets ( the site now occupied by Eberle's drug store); 
and at other times in the shop of Frederick Axe, on the southwest 
side of the Main street, below Washington lane. (The property now 
belongs to Mrs. Ann Keyser.) 

In the year 1803, Henry Boehm, who had occasionally preached in 
Germantown, as his father had done before him, feeling a deep interest 
in the cause of Methodism, and believing this field to be ripe for the 
harvest, determined to see what could be done towards securing a lot 
and building a House of Worship thereon, and for that purpose started a 
subscription; and in part of one day (February 3rd, 1803), received 
subscriptions amounting to over one hundred dollars ($100), which was 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



5 



at that time considered a wonderful success. Several hundred dollars 
more were soon added to the list, and the Society then purchased a lot of 
ground from Jacob Reger, adjoining his residence on Haines street, and 
to the northeast of the same. 

About this time, Jacob Reger, who had been converted, joined the 
Church. 

Haines street was then known as "Pickius" or "Bickius Lane," and 
afterwards commonly called "Methodist Lane" or "Meeting-House 
Lane," which latter name it maintained until after the incorporation of 
the Borough of Germantown, when it was named Haines street. Upon 
this lot the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Germantown was built. 

On the twenty-first day of May, A. D., 1804, Jacob Reger made a 
deed to Thomas Allibone, Thomas Hoskins, James Dougherty, Samuel 
Harvey, John Hewson, Jr., John Hood, Lambert Wilmer, Dr. William 
Budd, and Caleb North, Trustees, and their successors, in trust, for the 
use of the Methodist Congregation, in Germantown, etc. (see Deed 
Book E. T., No. 16, page 518, etc.), for a lot or piece of ground t situate 
on the southeast side of Pickius lane, in Germantown, on which said 
lot there had been erected a stone building or Meeting-house for public 
worship. Consideration $266.66. Said lot had a frontage on Pickius 
Lane (now Haines street), of sixty (60) feet, and extended in depth, 
southeastwardly, fifty-one (51) feet. The first Meeting-house was 
about twenty (20) feet front on Haines street or Pickius lane, by about 
thirty (30) feet in depth. The lot was situate about midway between 
the Main street and the present church building. 

An incident occurred in connection with the erection of this Meeting- 
house which is worthy of record, and shows what a woman can do when 
she will. When the day and hour arrived for the laying of the corner- 
stone, Brother Ezekiel Cooper, who was to have been present for that 
purpose, did not put in an appearance; the congregation, after having 
waited some time for Brother Cooper's arrival, determined to wait no 
longer, and proceeded with the services. An appropriate address was 



6 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



made by Daniel Pastorius, a Dunkard, who had taken an active part 
in the raising of funds for the erection of the building, and who was one 
of the Building Committee. A hymn was then given out by Sister 
Dorothy Reger; and after the singing of the hymn, she offered up a 
prayer, and proceeded to lay the corner-stone. Doubtless, this is the 
only instance on record in this city wherein a woman took so prominent 
a part in such a ceremony. The cost of this first Meeting-house, accor- 
ding to a memorandum made by Samuel Harvey, then Secretary and 
Treasurer, was $1276.05. 

In this year (1804) Germantown was taken into and became one of 
the regular appointments, of Bristol Circuit, which, at that time, 
extended from the city of Philadelphia to the Blue Mountains. For some 
years the circuit was travelled, sometimes by two and at other times by 
three preachers, and it took them from four to six weeks to make the 
round of the circuit. Most of the appointments had regular preaching 
but once in two weeks; but those nearer to the city had service every 
Sunday, the alternate Sunday service being conducted by Local 
Preachers or Exhorters. The circuit, although formed as early as the 
year 1789, appears not to have been under the especial care of a Presi- 
ding Elder until the year 1804, when the Conference appointed the Rev. 
William Corbet, as Presiding Elder, and the Circuit Preachers for the 
year were David Bartine and David James. 

The [first Quarterly Conference of which we have any record was 
held at Bristol, Bucks county, June 8th or gth, 1805. The conference 
was composed of Solomon Sharp, Presiding Elder; Asa Smith and Daniel 
Higby, Travelling or Circuit Preachers; William Wetherill, Local 
Preacher; and Joseph White and Joshua Vanzant, Class Leaders. It 
being found upon inquiry, that there was no book belonging to the 
circuit in which to'record the proceedings of the Quarterly Conference, 
Brother Asa Smith was requested to procure a book for that purpose. 

A book was procured and the minutes recorded therein; the hand- 
writing was that of Brother Solomon Sharp, and the minutes of the sub- 




DOROTHY REGER. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



9 



sequent quarterly conferences, down to the year 1808, appear to be in 
the same hand-writing. The recorded minutes from 1808 down to the 
year 1816, appear to be in the hand-writing of Samuel Harvey. 

In the year 1816, Samuel Harvey was elected secretary of the 
Quarterly Conference. Prior to that time the minutes were very meagre, 
but from that time down to the year 1831 they are very full and com- 
plete, being made by Brother Harvey, and include full statements in 
detail of the finances, showing how much money was received from 
each charge on the circuit; and how expended. Some of the reports made 
by the estimating committee as to how much the Circuit Preachers 
would need for the support of themselves and their families, would sound 
almost like a romance to some of the Brethren in the ministry at the 
present day. There is also recorded in the minutes referred to, several 
trials of Local Preachers and of private members, for violating the rules 
or discipline of the Church; showing clearly that the official boards 
cared more for the good of the Church and its moral standing in the 
community than for the good will or friendship of persons of doubtful 
morality. Brother Harvey also recorded in said book a tabulated state- 
ment of the preachers, Presiding Elders and membership of the circuit, 
beginning with the year 1794, and ending with the year 1818; and con- 
tinued the list of preachers and elders down to the year 1841. 

On March 27th, 1812, Brother Samuel Harvey, having been recom- 
mended by the Quarterly Conference, was ordained Deacon. He 
served the Church faithfully for many years as preacher, class leader 
and trustee, down to the time of his decease. He was a strict discipli- 
narian, of a conservative nature, yet very liberal, and gave largely of 
his means towards the Church and her enterprises; and to his financial 
aid in times of need and his general liberality, the Church is largely 
indebted for her success. 

When the Bank of Germantown was chartered in the year 1814, he 
was elected President of the same, and continued to hold that office 
down to the time of his death. Under his judicious management the 



10 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



bank was enabled to pull through many financial and commercial 
crisises, coming out of them all with her capital unimpaired and her 
credit as a banking institution always standing A No. I. 

Brother Harvey was born on June 16th, 1770, and after a very 
short illness, died on March 3rd, 1848. 

In the year 1818, an addition was built on the northeastern side 
of the Meeting-house twenty by thirty (20x30) feet, thus making the 
whole building thirty by forty (30x40) feet. 

Shortly after the erection of the first Meeting-house, the mother of 
the writer of this was a passenger in the stage coach going from Ger- 
mantown to Philadelphia. Colonel Forest, a reputable gentleman, was 
also a passenger in the same coach. He addressed the lady, with whom 
he was very well acquainted, as follows: "Well, Betsey, they tell me 
that you have joined the Methodists," and upon her replying in the 
affirmative, he replied, "1 am sorry to hear that, for if the Methodists 
once get a foothold in Germantown, all the devils in hell will not be able 
to root them out." She replied that he was paying the Methodists a 
great compliment; and that she hoped they never would be rooted out. 
This incident shows the feeling entertained at that day by many other- 
wise good and respectable citizens in regard to the Methodists. 

In those days it was no uncommon thing for the religious services 
of the congregation to be disturbed by disorderly persons, some of whom 
were from respectable families, and the preachers annoyed and insulted 
whilst passing along the streets of the town. Sometimes the offending 
parties received more than they had calculated upon. An amusing inci- 
dent of this nature occurred during the time that Brothers Asa Smith and 
Daniel Ireland were on the circuit. One day Brother Smith was pass- 
ing along the Main street, near where Armat street is now opened, when 
he heard some one calling out, "Brother Smith, Brother Smith." He 
looked around but saw no one. Presently, the head of a young man by 
the name of Wolf, bobbed up from behind a board fence, when Brother 
Smith called out: "Well, what do you want?" The young man 




JACOB REGER. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



*3 



answered, "They tell me the devil is dead, is it true?" Brother Smith 
replied, "How natural it is for children to inquire after their parents," 
and passed on. 

In the spring of 1819, the number of members on Bristol Circuit, as 
reported to the Annual Conference, was five hundred and sixteen (516) 
whites, and twenty-six (26) colored ; total, five hundred and forty- 
two (542), composed as follows: 



Germantown, five classes 152 

Union . - 14 

Bethel 17 

Smith's 8 

Mufley's 20 

Pursell's 12 

Doylestown . 13 

St. James (now Olney),two classes 54 

Holmesburg 27 

Langstroth's 27 

Pennsville • * 20 

Dolington 17 

Swamp 20 

Attleborough . 19 

Falsington. - . . 29 

Joseph White's 26 

Bensalem 1 45 

Bristol 16 

Milestown 6 



In February, 1828, the membership, as reported, was six hundred 
and thirty-four (634); this did not include a class at Montgomery Square 
and one at Frankford, which were then regular appointments on the 
circuit; as was also Supplee's, Morrisville, Falls of Schuylkill and Mana- 
yunk. A full report of the membership was made to the Quarterly 
Conference, held at Bristol on May 17th, 1828. 

On May 13, 1809, a sister was expelled from the Church, the 



14 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



charge against her being slandering a brother by calling him a "cut- 
throat," which charge was fully proved. 

At a Quarterly Conference held at Bensalem, on March 27th, 1812, 
a charge was preferred by a brother, a Local Preacher, against 
another brother, also a Local Preacher, charging him with 
gross immorality and falsehood. The charge contained eleven 
counts. 1. Falsehood in selling land; 2. Prevaricating in the purchase 
of wood; 3. Deception in overrating his goods for sale; 4. Withholding 
lawful hire from an employee; 5. Improper language at a prayer meet- 
ing by repeating audibly three times during a prayer by a sister, "Death 
in the pot," and at the conclusion of the prayer saying, "Well done, 
Betty;" 6. Speaking irreverently of prayer meetings, saying, "He did not 
know but what he would as soon be in hell as in our prayer meetings;" 
7. Purchasing, without necessity, goods on the Sabbath-day; 8. Decep- 
tion in selling goods by short weight; 9. Taking stone belonging to 
another person without permission of the owner; 10. Improperly 
endeavoring to separate his son from his wife; 11. Knowingly selling a 
piece of land for a quantity more than it contained; also representing 
the number of shingles in the roof of a house to be much greater than 
the actual number. Said charges having been investigated by a com- 
mittee appointed for that purpose, and witnesses examined by them, the 
committee reported that nearly all of the charges were fully sustained, 
and recommended that the brother be expelled from the Church; and in 
conformity with said report, he was expelled. 

At a Quarterly Conference, held on the twenty-third day of Novem- 
ber, 1810, Nathan Supplee, Stephen Wright and Samuel Harvey were 
appointed a committee to make an estimate of the amount necessary to 
furnish fuel and the table expenses for the families of the preachers; and 
at a Quarterly Conference, held at Germantown, February 22d, 1 817, 
said Committee reported as follows, viz: For the family of each preacher,. 

Five cords of wood, @ $9 $ 45 00 

Four hundred pounds of pork@ gc 36 00 



SAMUEL HARVEY. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



17 



Two hundred pounds of beef, @ 8c $16 00 

One hundred and fifty pounds of fresh meat, @ 8c . 12 00 

One hundred and twenty pounds of sugar, @ 15c 18 00 

Fifty-two pounds of coffee, @ 25c 13 00 

One hundred pounds of butter, @ 25c 25 00 

Ten bushels apples, @ $cc 5 00 

Milk, $6; soap, candles and salt, $20 26 00 

Twelve cwt. of flour, @ $5 60 00 

Five gals, of Molasses, $5; eighteen bushels of potatoes, $9 . . 14 00 

Total $270 00 



Said report was accepted and laid over for future action, and at a 
Quarterly Conference, held September 5th, 1817, said report was taken 
up, when a resolution was passed in accordance with the recommenda- 
tion of said committee, that the married preachers on the circuit shall be 
allowed each, two hundred and seventy (270) dollars, for family expen- 
ses; said amounts to be raised by the stewards by such means as they 
may devise; but not to be taken from the moneys collected for the 
regular quarterly allowance of the preachers. 

The allowance at that time was, for each preacher, $100 per year; 
for his wife, $100 per year; and for each child under the age of sixteen 
years, $6 per year. This continued to be the rate of compensa- 
tion down to the year 1831, when an additional allowance was made for 
house rent, not to exceed $60 per year, and feed for a horse. And this 
amount remained the same down to the year 1836. 

In December, 1812, the Society purchased from the heirs of Casper 
Heft, a lot or piece of ground, situate on the southeast side of Pickius 
Lane (now Haines street), on which lot the present Church building 
stands (1895). The lot was about 132 feet front, by 172 feet in depth. 
(See deed from Mary Heft et al. to Samuel Harvey, Alexander Provost, 
George Dannenhower, Samuel Keyser, and Samuel Harmer, Trustees, 
in trust for the Methodist Church. Deed dated Decembor 31st, 1812, 
recorded at Philadelphia, in Deed Book I. C, No. 27, page 621, etc.) 



18 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



In the years 1 82 1 and 1822, Manning Force and Phineas Price were 
the preachers in charge, and were very much liked. They were Pas- 
tors in every sense of the word. Brother Force was one of the most 
lovable men that ever entered the ministry. The children would run 
after him on the street, and would call out, "Brother Force, Brother 
Force, how do you do?" And for years after having removed from 
Germantown to other fields of labor, the doors of almost every dwelling 
in Germantown, whether they were professors of religion or not, were 
thrown open to him. He would enter, converse with them for a few 
minutes, offer up a prayer and pass on. 

In the years 1822 and 1823, Jacob Gruber and Daniel Fidler were 
the Circuit Preachers. Brother Gruber was a very peculiar man, and 
many anecdotes of his peculiarities and eccentricities might be related. 
He continued to make his home in Germantown for a number of years 
after his appointment to other fields of labor. He was ever ready with 
an answer to any question propounded or addressed to him. On one 
occasion, after leaving the circuit, he was passing along the Main street, 
when a man who was somewhat intoxicated, called out in a maudlin 
voice, "How are you, Brother Gruber?'' He turned around, and seeing 
no one, asked, "Did anybody call me?" The reply came, "Yes, I did." 
Then Brother Gruber asked, "Who are you?" and received for an 
answer, "Don't you know me?" He said, "No, I don't." Then came 
the reply, "You ought to, for you converted me." Brother Gruber 
replied, "Ah, ah, it looks like one of my jobs; for if the Lord had con- 
verted you He would have made a better job of it." 

At a camp meeting, at which Brother Gruber was present, the 
preachers were much annoyed by men and women standing on the seats. 
They appealed to them to get down. The men generally complied; the 
women did not. Brother Gruber, after addressing them as young ladies, 
young women, and gals, said, in a loud voice, "If those gals knew what 
big holes are in their stockings, I think they would get down." This 
had the desired effect. Afterward a brother preacher said to Brother 




FIRST METHODIST CHURCH IN GERMANTOWN. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



2 I 



Gruber, "How did you know that there were holes in their stockings?" 
"Well," he replied, "I guess there must be, or how did they get their 
feet in them?" 

On one occasion a person by the name of John Neil, who worked 
for Brother Samuel Keyser, and who would frequently get drunk, 
appealed to Brother Keyser to know if he could not do something that 
would cure him of this bad habit. Brother Keyser referred him to 
Brother Gruber, saying, "He will give you something, which, if you will 
take it, will cure you." John, who knew Brother Gruber well, went to 
Brother Gruber, who had frequently talked to him about his habits, and 
told his errand. Brother Gruber said to him, "Well, John, I don't know 
about it. I am afraid you will not do as I tell you." 

"Will it hurt me?" asked John. 

"No." 

"Will it make me sick?" 

"No; well, yes, maybe you will feel a little sick for a short time; 
but it won't hurt you. It is not dangerous." 

"Well, Brother Gruber, give it to me and I'll try it." 

"Well, John, when you see a cup, or a tumbler, or a bowl that has 
beer, wine, cider, or whisky in it, and you take it up to drink, lift it 
towards your mouth, and do so" — suiting the action to the word, and 
opening wide his hand. 

In the year 1823, the Society, finding their Meeting-house too 
small to accommodate the congregation, determined to build a new 
church on the lot last above-mentioned, and proceeded to erect thereon 
a stone church building. This building was about forty-five by fifty-five 
(45x55) feet in the clear, the corner-stone of which was laid in the 
same year, at which time Brothers Jacob Gruber and Daniel Fidler were 
the preachers. The new edifice was dedicated to the worship of 
Almighty God early in the year 1824, at which time Brothers William 
Williams and Thomas Davis were the Circuit Preachers. 

In November, 1823, the congregation instructed the Trustees to sell 



2 -> 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



the old Meeting-house and lot of ground upon which it stood, and on 
March 27th, 1827, the legislature of Pennsylvania authorized the Trus- 
tees of said church to sell the same. 

In the year 1825, Edward Stout and Samuel Grace were the Circuit 
Preachers, and for part of the year, Robert Gerry was their assistant. 
In the year 1826, Edward Stout and Samuel Carey were the Circuit 
Preachers. Brother Stout was a strict disciplinarian and was much 
grieved over the apathy and apparent want of spiritual life and activity 
on the part of many of the members; and believing this state of affairs 
to be due in a great measure to the neglect of the members to attend their 
class meetings, which at that time was a duty enjoined by the discipline, 
and having endeavored during the greater part of his pastorate to 
awaken the membership to a sense of their duty, and the deleterious 
effects of their luke-warmness and neglect of duty, without any or very 
little apparent success, he began to apply the pruning knife with a liberal 
hand, and dropped from the roll of membership the names of many who 
at one time had been prominent and active members of the Church. This 
course gave great offense to the friends of the members whose names had 
thus been dropped, and they, through sympathy, withdrew from the 
Church. This course, on the part of Brother Stout, was warmly com- 
mended by some and condemned by others, but the good effects thereof 
were soon made apparent. 

In 1827, Henry G. King and Robert Lutton were appointed to the 
circuit, and the spirituality of the Church began to show signs of improve- 
ment; and in the year 1828, under the ministry of Henry G. King and 
James B. Ayers, a gracious revival broke out and many new members 
were received into the Church; and nearly all of those whose names 
had been dropped, or who had withdrawn through sympathy for them, 
were again received into the Church. 

The writer of this has frequently asked himself the following ques- 
tion: "What has the Church gained by abolishing the rule making 
attendance on class meetings a test of membership?" 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



23 



In the year 1829, Thomas Neil and Nathaniel Chew were the circuit 
preachers; and in 1830, Thomas Neil and Manlove Hazel were the 
preachers. Brother Neil was a muscular man and a strong preacher; I 
know of no other term that so nearly expresses my opinion of the man. 
He had the happy faculty of explaining the Scriptures and applying them 
to every day life. 

The following is an illustration of his manner of preaching : On one 
occasion, after he had left the circuit, he visited a camp meeting held on 
the circuit. He was invited to preach and consented; but before the 
hour arrived for him to speak he asked to be excused until the next day, 
and was excused. At this camp we had, for the fisrt time, a large tent, 
made for the purpose of holding prayer meetings; on the front were 
the words "Union of Germantown." 

The next day Brother Neil was ready to keep his engagement. After 
the singing of the opening hymn and prayer, when he arose from his knees, 
and before announcing his text, he stated that whilst on his way to the 
grounds he had determined, if called upon to preach, to speak from a 
certain passage of Scripture, which he then read, and stated that he had 
selected the opening hymn with the intention of using the passage just 
read for his text, but that he could not do so; and the passage as 
recorded in the 26th chapter of Numbers had made an impression upon 
his mind which he could not remove. The passage referred to the 
encampment of the Israelites. He then said: "What I have to say will 
be founded on this passage. I will not attempt to divide it, for I do 
not know how." Then looking around the encampment, he remarked, 
''This is the first camp meeting that I have ever attended where the 
tents were pitched in squares, and not in circles; and in that respect, 
this resembles the Israelitish camp." He then described the arrange- 
ment of the Israelitish camp by tribes, with the tabernacle in the centre; 
then pointing first to one tent and then to another, he said, "There I see 
the tribe from Bensalem, there from Busselton, there from Frankford, 
there from Holmesburg, and there from Germantown, with the sign out, 



24 METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 

'Union.' How is it brethren? You have union on the outside; have 
you union inside?" And then, pointing to Brother Ralph Byram, he 
addressed him thus: ''Brother Byram, don't you remember when I 
preached at Germantown, years ago, how you would stretch out your 
Ions arms and open wide your mouth to catch the blessing? How 7 is it 
now?" The response was, "Hallelujah! Glory! Ihaveityet!" "And 
here in the centre is the Tabernacle." He then described the manner of 
service, the blowing of the horn in the early morning, and the gathering 
of the manna, and gave the essentials as follows, viz: "First, every man 
must gather for himself; no one could gather for his neighbor, and each 
gathered according to his needs or capacity — every man having an omer, 
but not all of the same size. So with our hearts. Second, the vessel 
or omer must be clean and pure, not tainted, or the manna would be 
spoiled, lost. So with the hearts of the hearers; they must be cleansed 
from all sin and defilement, or they would not hold the heavenly food. 
Third, they must come to the feast prepared for them and sent down 
from Heaven, with their vessels right side up. Fourth, they must be 
humble and willing to get down on their knees, as little children, in order 
to gather up the manna." 

Then, branching out, he said, "Suppose that Moses had sent out his 
assistants during the night time, whilst the people were asleep, and 
ordered them to chain a part of the multitude fast to the posts of their 
tents, with irresistible decrees and the lock and key of fore-ordination 
and pre-destination, and then in the morning, when the horn blew for 
them to come out of their tents and partake of the food which God had 
provided for them, and they did not come because they could not, he 
had said to them: 'If you do not come you shall surely die,' what would 
you have thought of Moses? And now, do you think that God can be 
so unjust as to say to all the world, 'Come unto Me and you shall be 
saved,' when He had fore-ordained that a certain part of mankind should 
be doomed to eternal banishment from His presence? No, no, God is a 
just God, and good. He so loved the world that He gave His only 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



27 



begotten Son to die for us, in order that whosoever will come to Him 
shall be saved." 

At a Quarterly Conference held at Bristol, on June 18th, 1831, a 
resolution was offered, declaring it to be the sense of said Conference 
that the circuit should be divided; and at a Quarterly Conference, held 
at Germantown, March 10th, 1832, said resolution was approved, and a 
memorial prepared to the Annual Conference, requesting them to divide 
the circuit, and at their next session they did divide it. Germantown 
Circuit was then formed, embracing the following appointments: Ger- 
mantown, Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, St. James (Olney), Smith's, 
Montgomery Square, Milltown, Frankford, Holmesburg, Bustlston, 
Goosetown, Bethel, Union and Jenkintown. In all fourteen (14) 
appointments. 

The first Quarterly Conference for Germantown Circuit was held 
at Manayunk on the nineteenth day of May, 1832. There were present 
at that conference Manning Force, Presiding Elder; John Finley, 
preacher-in-charge; John Nicholson, assistant preacher, and nine class- 
leaders and stewards. 

In March, 1834, the Society at Germantown was incorporated by 
the Supreme Court of the State of Pennsylvania, by the name of "THE 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Germantown." The charter was 
signed by James Trimble, Deputy Secretary of State, under Governor 
George Wolf, on the eighth day of May, 1834. (See Charter Book, No, 
5, page 183, &c, at Harrisburg.) 

On August 30th, 1834, the Trustees deeded the property on which 
the old church stood, to the Church, by its corporate name, Jacob Reger 
and Dorothy, his wife, joining in the deed, for the purpose of supplying 
an omission in the original deed, and thus perfecting the title. (See 
Deed Book, S. H. F., No. 6, page 691, &c.) 

On December 20th, 1836, the Church sold the old building and lot 
of ground above-mentioned to Ann Haines for $650. 



28 METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

In connection with the history of the Sunday-school, I find, in notes 
made by Brother Joseph Mason, the following: 

"In the year 1818 or 1819, the Rev. John Price, one of the Circuit 
Preachers who lived in Germantown, was accustomed to catechise the 
children on 'Saturday Afternoons,' and appointed as assistants, John F. 
Watson for the boys, and Ann Bowman for the girls;" and this, he 
claims, to be the first organization of the Sunday-school. 

In the latter part of the year 1827, John Acuff and John Flynn con- 
ceived the idea of forming a Sunday-school in connection with the 
Methodist Church of Germantown; and Brother Acuff opened his house 
on the Main street, at or near where Mr. Livzey's hardware store now 
stands (just below Centre street), for that purpose. The interest in 
said movement and the attendance at the school was so gratifying that 
the Society determined to have a regularly organized Sunday-school; 
and at a meeting of the members and friends of the Church, held on 
May 28th, 1828, in the church, for the purpose of considering the expe- 
diency of forming a Sunday-school, it was resolved to organize a school. 
A form of constitution was read and approved, and the name adopted 
was "The Sunday-school of Germantown, Auxiliary to the Sunday- 
school Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church." The following 
officers were then elected, viz: Samuel Keyser, President; Samuel 
Harvey, Secretary and Treasurer; William Flynn, John Acuff, Ralph 
Byram and Harmon Osier, Managers. The said Board of Managers 
and teachers met on the following evening, Thursday, May 29th, and 
adopted a set of rules and by-laws for the government of said school. 
They also made the following appointments, viz: John Acuff, William 
Flynn, Ralph Byram and Samuel Keyser, as Superintendents. 

According to the by-laws, two of these Superintendents were to be 
present at the opening and closing of every session of the school. The 
following named teachers were also appointed: Harmon Osier, Samuel 
McDowell, John Bowman, Horatio Roop, George Wilson, James Harmer, 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



29 



John G. Wolf, Isaac Glackins, Joseph Reger, William Glackins, John 
Mankoff, and Richard Sharpless; in all twelve males. Females — Ann 
Peasley, Mary Byram, Louisa Sharpless, Elizabeth Butcher, Sarah 
Glackins, Elizabeth Shackelton, Marian Ferguson and Clarissa Roop; 
in all eight females. Total, twenty teachers. 

The school being thus fully organized, they commenced their regular 
sessions on June 15th, 1828, with fifty -five male and twenty-nine female 
scholars. 

At the present time (January, 1895), the Church has three Sunday- 
schools, viz: One at Blue Bell, one at the East Side Mission, Chelten 
avenue and Stenton avenue, and one at the Mother Church. The 
number of officers and teachers of the three schools combined is 78 
officers and teachers, and 650 scholars of a'l ages. 

In the year 1835, the Church purchased from George W. Rose a 
stone messuage or tenement, and lot or piece of ground, adjoining the 
lot purchased from the Heft estate, to the southwest. This lot was one 
hundred and thirty-two (132) feet front, on Haines street, by one hun- 
dred and seventy-seven (177) feet in depth. Thus, the entire church 
lot, at that time, had a frontage on Haines street of two hundred and 
sixty-four (264) feet, and a depth of one hundred and seventy-seven 
(177) feet. 

In 1837, Caleb Lippincott was preacher-in-charge, assisted by M. D. 
Curts; and in 1838 Brother Lippincott was preacher-in-charge, assisted 
by Silas C. Palmer. Brother Lippincott was a large man, possessed of 
great physical strength and great force of character, a natural orator and 
a sweet singer. Many anecdotes might be recorded showing his strength 
of body and will. His physical strength assisted him greatly in preserv- 
ing order at camp meetings and other places where the rowdy element 
was inclined to be troublesome. 

An incident connected with the conversion of Brother Lippincott, as 
related by the Rev. Thomas Neil, at the house of Sister Elizabeth 
Thomas (mother of the writer), in^the presence of several ministers of 



30 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



the Gospel, of whom Brother Lippincott was one, will serve to illustrate 
the whole-heartedness of the man. 

Brother Neil was preaching at or near Mt. Holly, N. J., during a 
season of revivals. A lady of that neighborhood, a cousin of Brother 
Lippincott, who, like himself, was of Quaker parentage, presented her- 
self at the altar for prayers. Mr. Lippincott vowed that if she did so 
again he would take her from the altar and out of the Meeting-house. 
And with that object in view, he, with several of his companions, went 
to the Meeting-house one evening and took seats in the gallery. After 
the sermon, and at the commencement of the prayer-meeting, some of 
the brethren informed Brother Neil of what Mr. Lippincott had threat- 
ened to do. Upon the invitation being given, the young lady went for- 
ward to the altar. Brother Neil said to the brethren: 

"Go on with your singing, and leave Mr. Lippincott to me." 

Shortly after, Mr. Lippincott arose from his seat, descended to the 
main floor, and marched up toward the altar. Brother Neil saw him 
coming, and stepped in front of the rail to meet him. Mr. Lippincott 
dodged him, and knelt near the end of the altar, and began to pray in 
great earnestness for his own salvation. In his excitement he got flat on 
his back, with his feet toward the altar and sometimes on top of the 
altar rail, and in a loud voice cried out: "Now, Lord, do your best; con- 
vert my soul if you can!" And continued to pray in that strain until he 
was happily converted, his after life proving that his conversion was 
genuine. He had the happy faculty of interesting his hearers, children 
as well as grown persons, and securing their attention whilst he was 
speaking. 

On one occasion our Sunday-school had their Fourth of July cele- 
bration in the woods near what is now known as Scatchard's Mill. 
When Brother Lippincott arose to address the children, after a few 
remarks, which the children all enjoyed, he pointed toward the edge of 
the woods and called out, "Boys, what kind of a tree is that?" Many 
of them answered, "A cherry tree." 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



3* 



"Are you sure?" 

"Yes," was the answer. 

"How do you know that it is a cherry tree?" 

"Why, we see cherries on it." 

"Yes, that's so. 'By the fruit you know it.' Are they good 
cherries and fit to eat?" 
"No, sir; not now." 
"Why?" 

"Because they are not ripe." 

"Well, do you think when they get ripe that they will be as sweet 
and as good as the cherries that grow in Grandfather Keyser's garden?" 
"No." 

"Why not?" No answer. 

Then he explained to them that it was for want of proper cultivation 
and care and because the tree was surrounded by forest trees and that 
the warm rays of the sun and the fresh breezes had not the same effect 
on it as they would have if it stood in a more favorable position. He 
then asked, "How do you think that tree got there?" and not getting a 
satisfactory answer, he asked them whether they thought a crow or 
hawk or buzzard had planted it there. They answered "No." He then 
went on to say, " Well, boys, I'll tell you how I think it got there. 
Perhaps a blue bird, or a robin, or a Tom-tit or a Jenny wren may have 
plucked a cherry from a tree in your grandfather's garden, and flying 
away with the cherry, it rested on the fence, or one of those cedar 
bushes, or tall forest trees, and after eating the pulp, dropped the seed, 
and from that seed sprang up the tree. Now boys, one more question, 
I said that a wren, a Tom-tit or a robin may have dropped the seed. 
Now, tell me, how many little birds or crows or hawks or buzzards would 
it take to pull that tree up by the roots?" 

"They can't do it." 

He then compared the teachers of the Sunday-school to the little 
birds dropping the seeds of the fruit of the Gospel into the hearts of the 



32 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



children, saying for their encouragement, that although, the children 
might wander away from churches and religious influence, and be sur- 
rounded by forest trees of wickedness in every shape, still, the marks of 
their training would be felt and seen, and might result eventually in pro- 
ducing good fruit; and that all the crows, hawks and buzzards of 
infidelity, atheism and scepticism would not be able to pluck up or 
destroy the seed thus planted by them. 

During Brother Lippincott's ministry there was the greatest revival 
ever known in Germantown, and a large number were converted and 
added to the Church, some of whom are still living and are members 
of the Church in good standing in Germantown and elsewhere. 

In January, 1844, the Church determined to sell the house and part 
of the lot of ground which they had purchased from George W. Rose, 
and appointed Jacob Ployd and Samuel Y. Harmer a committee to 
make sale of the same, and on the twenty-sixth day of February, 1844, 
said committee reported that they had agreed to sell to Mr. John Smith 
the house and a lot of ground, being sixty-five (65) feet front by one 
hundred and four (104) feet, six (6) inches in depth, for nine hundred 
($900) dollars; which report was accepted and the sale approved; and 
in May, 1844, the president of the board reported that the sale had been 
consummated, the deed executed and delivered, and that the treasurer 
had received five hundred ($500) dollars in cash, and Mr. Smith's bond 
for four hundred ($400) dollars, being in full of the consideration money. 

In the spring of the year 185 1 , Germantown was set apart as a sta- 
tion, and a new circuit formed, called Chestnut Hill Circuit, and Gasoway 
Oram was appointed preacher for Germantown. At that time the 

station had 12 class-leaders and members. The Sunday-school 

comprised officers and teachers, and 293 scholars. 

In the spring of 1852, George D. Bowen was appointed preacher, 
and served two years. In the spring of 1854, Newton Heston was 
appointed preacher, serving two years. 

In the latter part of Brother Heston's ministry, the subject of form- 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 33 

ing a second Methodist Church in Germantown was agitated; and just 
before the close of the Conference year, a general meeting of the mem- 
bership was called for the purpose of considering the expediency of form- 
ing a new church, and it was resolved by an almost unanimous vote that 
the time had arrived when there should be a second Methodist Church 
in Germantown; and a call was made for volunteers to form the new 
church. To this call forty of the brethren and sisters responded. There 
was quite a lengthy discussion, in regard to the selection of a locality 
for the new church enterprise. It was finally determined that it should 
be located in the lower end of the town, inasmuch as there had been, 
for a number of years, a Sunday-school in Spring Alley, and other 
places in the lower end of the town, conducted by members of the 
Haines Street Church. 

At the Annual Conference, held March, 1856, the new organization 
was recognized, and Newton Heston was appointed pastor of the same; 
and on April 1, 1856, the new church was fully organized, with a mem- 
bership of ninety-six, most of whom had been members of the Mother 
Church. This was the commencement of what is now known as 
"The St. Stephen's Methodist Episcopal Church." 

On May 10th, 1858, at a meeting of the male members of the 
church, the Trustees were authorized to have the old church torn down 
and a new one erected on the site. And on June 2nd, of the same year,, 
the Trustees decided to build a new church of brick, to be fifty-five (55)- 
feet in width by eighty (80) feet in depth, with an end gallery in the 
same; and awarded the contract for the building to Messrs. J. A. 
& G. Binder, for, the sum of twelve thousand ($12,000) dollars, which 
contract was subsequently amended on account of the addition of side 
galleries, &c. 

The corner-stone of this building was laid July 19th, 1858. The 
services were conducted by the Revs. William McCoombs, preacher- 
in-charge, James Cunningham and William H. Brisbane. The lecture 
room was opened for religious services on Sunday, January 2nd, 



34 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



1859; the morning service being conducted by the Rev. Alfred Cookman, 
afternoon service by the Rev. Solomon Higgins, and the evening service 
by the Rev. J. H. Alday. 

The Trustees held their first meeting in this church on February 
nth, 1859, m * ne basement. 

The main audience room was formally dedicated to the worship of 
Almighty God, on Sunday, March 14th, 1859. The morning service was 
conducted by the Rev. Bishop Scott, the afternoon service by the Rev. 
Joseph Castle, and the evening services by the Rev. D. W. Bartine. 

BLUE BELL MISSION. 

On Saturday evening, June 30th, 1877, Brother John T. Walker, 
a class-leader of the Haines Street Church, had his class to meet at the 
house of Brother Leadbeater, in the village of Blue Bell Hill, just west of 
the Township Line, near Walnut lane. The class continued to meet 
in that neighborhood until the interest manifested by persons in that 
vicinity was such that on the thirteenth day of June, 1879, a committee 
was appointed, consisting of Brothers Daniel L. Keyser, R. W. P. Goff, 
William Benner, William Shelmerdine, and William McArthur, for the 
purpose of securing a lot and erecting a chapel thereon. They secured 
a lot on the southwest side of Wissahickon avenue above Walnut lane, 
upon which they had a frame chapel erected, which building was opened 
for religious services and dedicated on Sunday, October 19th, 1879; the 
proper dedicatory services being conducted by the Presiding Elder, Rev. 
William Swindells, in the Haines Street Church. Thus, the Blue Bell 
Mission was formed, and is to-day in a fairly prosperous condition. 

EAST SIDE MISSION. 

On Sunday, July 18th, 1886, a Sunday-school was started in the 
house of Mrs. Wm. Walters, on Haines street, near Stenton avenue; 
and shortly afterward, it was removed to and met in the house of 
Brother Chadwick, on Stenton avenue, above Haines street, and in 




CHELTEN AVENUE MISSION, EAST SIDE, GERMANTOWN. 

FORMERLY HAINES STREET MISSION. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



37 



November of that year, William C. Tully was appointed Superintendent. 
It was called the Forest Hill Sunday-school. The average attendance of 
scholars at that time was forty-five. 

In the latter part of the year 1886, a lot was secured on Haines 
street, near Stenton avenue, and a chapel building erected thereon. This 
building was formally dedicated on May 22nd, 1887; and Brother William 
Mullen, a Supernumerary Preacher, was requested to take charge of 
the Mission, which he did, preaching there every Sabbath-day, morn- 
ing and evening, for some months. 

On September 28th, 1887, a class was formed in connection with 
this Mission, and Brother Henry Hudson appointed the leader. 

On September 26th, 1890, a committee which had been previously 
appointed for the purpose, reported that they were nogotiating for a lot 
at the corner of Stenton avenue and Chelten avenue; and on December 
26th, 1890, the committee reported that they agreed to purchase a 
lot, having a front of ninety (90) feet on Stenton avenue by a depth of 
one hundred and fifty (150) feet on Chelten avenue, for the sum of three 
thousand ($3000) dollars; and on April 16th, 1891, the committee reported 
that they had closed the bargain and obtained a deed for the lot, by 
paying one thousand ($1,000) dollars in cash, and giving a mortgage on 
the lot for the balance, two thousand ($2,000) dollars. 

In June, 1891, the Presiding Elder requested Brother Rawlings to 
look after the interest of the Mission, which he did, and the building 
was removed from the Haines street lot to the one last purchased, and 
an addition built to the chapel for infant school purposes, which was 
completed and opened for the infant school on Sunday, February 27th, 
1892. 

At the Annual Conference, held in March, 1892, Brother H. A. 
Greaves was appointed assistant pastor of the Haines Street Church; 
his special business was to take charge of this Mission. 

At the Annual Conference, held in March, 1893, Brother A. D. 
Shields was appointed junior pastor to succeed Brother Greaves. 



38 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



The Mission had, on January ist, 1895, a Sunday-school with 
20 officers and teachers and 250 scholars. It is now in a flourishing con- 
dition and the probabilities are that at the next Annual Conference, 
which will meet in March, 1895, it will be set apart as a separate and 
distinct charge. 

Before proceeding with the history of the other Methodist Churches 
in Germantown, it will not be out of place to say, that among the many 
useful members of the Haines Street Church, no layman was more 
prominent than Samuel Keyser, who from early manhood, down to the 
day of his death, was a faithful member and served the Church well as 
a Trustee, and in whatever capacity he was called to act. He was 
generous and hospitable; his house was always open to the preachers 
and to the members from other places who would visit Germantown on 
Quarterly Meetings and other special occasions. He was ever ready to 
help the needy; he was, physically, a strongman, very out-spoken when 
occasion required, and enjoyed a good joke, even at his own expense. 

On one Sunday morning, after a long and not very interesting 
discourse by the preacher who occupied the pulpit, and who, after the 
close of the regular service, was about to make some ''further remarks,'' 
Brother Keyser arose from his seat and was about to leave the church, 
when the preacher said, "Just one minute more." 

Brother Keyser stopped, took out his watch, and looking at it, said, 
addressing the preacher, "Hurry up, for you've been talking a long 
while; it is now past twelve o'clock; I want my dinner, and I think the 
other members of the congregation want their's, too." The preacher 
then brought his remarks to a close, and dismissed the congregation. 

Brother Keyser was of great service in maintaining order in and 
around the Meeting-house. (At that time it was not considered orthodox 
to call the Methodist Meeting-houses "Churches.") 

On one occasion, upon entering the yard of the old Meeting-house, 
Brother Keyser found quite a number of young men there, among whom- 




SAMUEL KEYSER. 




THOMAS LISTER. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



41 



was Thomas Lister, Sr., then in his teens, and a comparative stranger in 
Germantown, who had entered the yard out of curiosity. Brother 
Keyser, supposing that they were there for the purpose of disturbing and 
annoying the congregation, as was their custom, ordered them off the 
premises. Young Lister, not moving as quickly as Brother Keyser thought 
he should have done, he picked him up bodily, and gently landed him on 
the other side of the fence. 

A few years after this, Brother Lister was converted and joined the 
Church, and remained a member of the same and a consistent Christian 
down to the day of his death, which occurred on March 19th, 1886. He 
served the Church faithfully in many official positions. 

A number of Brother Keyser's children joined the Church; promi- 
nent among them was Daniel L., who joined in early manhood, and 
remained an active and prominent member until the day of his death, 
which occurred on March 27th, 1884, having been a member for a period 
of nearly fifty years. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for 
twenty-eight years, and president of that body for seven years, which 
position he held at the time of his death. 

For many years it was the custom for a member of the Church who 
was a good singer, to lead the singing. The preacher would announce 
the hymn, and then read it, two lines at a time, the congregation all 
joining in the singing. This custom was afterward modified by the 
selecting of a leader, whose duty it was, after the reading of the hymn 
by the preacher, to take his place in front of the altar railing, select a 
tune, and lead the singing. This duty was performed for many years 
by Brother Joseph Channon, who was a class leader, and one of the 
earliest members of the Church. 

In the year 1863, instrumental music, in the shape of a melodeon, 
was introduced into the Church. To this, some of the older members for 
a time objected; among the objectors was Brother Francis D. Tull, an 
earnest working Christian, and for many years a Local Preacher. On 
one occasion he said to the writer of this, "Brother Thomas, if I could 



42 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



hear a good hearty 'Amen!' or 'Glory to God!' come out of the mouths 
of the people whilst the organ was playing, I would not object to the use 
of an organ in the Church." A short time after this remark Brother 
Tull was present in St. Stephen's M. E. Church, when Brother Kenney, 
the pastor, was preaching a memorial sermon. His subject was, 
"Heavenly Recognition." Just as Brother Kenney closed his remarks, 
the choir, accompanied by a melodeon, sang "We shall know each other 
there." The presence of the Lord seemed to fill the house, and many 
of the members began to shout. Brother Tull caught the infection, and 
with tears streaming down his cheeks, and his whole body shaking with 
emotion, cried out, "Hallelujah! Glory to God!" This ended Brother 
Tull's opposition to instrumental music in church service. 

Brother Jacob Ployd, who died on the eleventh day of May, 1885, 
was another faithful member of the Church and served it for many 
years as a Trustee and class-leader. He was of a very conservative 
nature, modest and unassuming; not hasty in forming an opinion, but 
very firm in maintaining his views and position as to what he regarded 
the right. He was ever ready to assist the Church in any way or 
manner that he could, and contributed largely toward the church 
improvements and its finances generally. 

Quite a number of others might be named who were prominent in 
the Church and have passed from labor to reward. 

The Haines Street Church had its charter amended in the spring of 
1893; and is now known as "The First Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Germantown." It has furnished the itineracy with quite a number of 
preachers, among whom I can recall the names of James Y. Ashton, 
James Harmer, William Mullen, Thomas C. Murphy, William C. Robin- 
son and Samuel Y. Harmer, some of whom are still living. 

On January 1st, 1895, the First Church had a membership of 650; 
three Sunday-schools with 78 officers and teachers, and 650 scholars. 

For a full list of the preachers serving in this charge, see Appendix. 




JACOB PLOYD. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



45 



HISTORY OF 5T. STEPHEN'S M. E. CHURCH. 

On Sunday morning, March 23rd, 1856, an informal meeting of the 
following named brethren (members of Haines Street M. E. Church), 
was held at the house of Jacob B. Thomas, on the west side of Main 
street, opposite Centre street, Germantown, viz: 

Jacob B. Thomas, William Spencer, Sr., Charles Spencer, Jonathan 
Wolf, William G. Spencer, Joseph Barrett and Robert Thomas. 

At this meeting the expediency of starting a second Methodist 
Church was discussed; and those present at the meeting, having 
pledged themselves to contribute funds sufficient to pay a preacher 
for one year, should the Conference send us one, it was determined 
to call a meeting of the membership of Haines Street Church, to 
take the matter into consideration; and a notice for said meeting 
was read from the pulpit the same day. 

In pursuance of this call, a meeting was held in the church on 
Monday evening, March 24th, 1856; at which meeting there was 
a very large attendance of the membership, both male and female. 
Brother Jacob B. Thomas was called to the chair, and Jonathan 
Wolf appointed secretary. 

After a full and free discussion, it was, by an almost unanimous 
vote, determined that the time had arrived when it was the duty of the 
Church to furnish the people of Germantown, desiring to enjoy the 
privileges and blessings of Methodism, with greater church accommoda- 
tions; and it was the opinion of those present that a new Church should 
be established in the southern part of the town, where, for a number of 
years, there had been, in successful operation, a Sunday-school under 
the care of Haines Street Church, on Spring Alley, near Manheim street; 
and subsequently at other places in the lower end of the town, under the 
care of Brother James Tatlow. 

A call was then made for volunteers to form a new organization to 
which about forty responded — some of whom, however, did not join the 
new organization. 



46 



METHODISM IN GERMAN TOWN. 



The following brethren were then appointed a committee on organi- 
zation, viz: Rev. William Mann, Charles Spencer, John. Campion, 
Robert Thomas and W ; illiam G. Spencer. 

This committee laid the matter before the Annual Conference, which 
met at Philadelphia in March, 1856. Their action was approved by Con- 
ference, and the Rev. Newton Heston, whose second year at Haines 
Street Church had just expired, was appointed Pastor. 

Brother Heston was a very popular preacher, and drew large 
congregations. 

The committee then secured the large room in the Town Hall for the 
use of the congregation. The opening services were held in said hall on 
Sunday, April 6th. 1856. 

The morning service was conducted by the Rev. James Neil. His 
sermon was from the text contained in II Timothy i. 10. 

In the afternoon, sermon by the Rev. G. Dixon Bowen, from Heb., 
vi. 19. 

Sermon in evening by the Rev. Penal Coomb. 

The Church was thus fully organized with a membership of ninety- 
six, a majority of whom had been members of Haines Street Church. 

The first Quarterly Conference was held at the house of Brother 
Charles Spencer on April 22nd, 1856, composed as follows: Rev. James 
Cunningham, Presiding Elder; Newton Heston, Pastor; and the follow- 
ing brethren, viz: William Spencer. Robert Thomas. William G. Spencer, 
Charles Spencer, Jonathan Wolf, John D. Caldwell, and Jacob B. 
Thomas. 

At this conference, the following brethren were appointed Trustees: 
Jacob B. Thomas, Jonathan Wolf, Robert Thomas. Charles Spencer.. 
William G. Spencer, Samuel H. Collom, Joseph Barrett, George Jaggar 
and John D. Caldwell. 

The name of "St. Stephen's Methodist Episcopal Church 93 was then 
adopted. 

At a meeting of the Trustees, held July 2nd, 1856, it was announced 



ST. STEPHEN'S (OLD) CHURCH. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



49 



by the Pastor that Brother Charles Spencer had resigned from the 
Board, and John Campion was appointed to fill the vacancy. 

At a meeting of the Trustees, held August 9, 1856, it was resolved 
to build a brick chapel, situate on the northeastern side of the Main 
street, between Jefferson and Bringhurst streets, purchased from Michael 
Trumbower, as per deed, dated June 4th, 1856, recorded in Deed Book, 
R. D. W., No. 81, page 393, &c, the title to the same being taken in 
the name of Joseph Barrett. 

A building committee was appointed, consisting of Rev. Newton 
Heston, Samuel H. Collom, John D. Caldwell, Jacob B. Thomas and 
Jonathan Wolf. And on August 16th, 1856, the committee reported that 
they had a proposition from Brothers Samuel H. Collom and John D. 
Caldwell, to build a chapel in accordance with the plans and specifica- 
tions prepared by Edward Heston (father of the Pastor, the Rev. New- 
ton Heston); the dimensions to be forty-six by seventy (46x70) feet; to 
be set cross-wise on the lot, with the view of building at some future 
time the main edifice in front of the same, thus forming a "T." The 
building to be two-stories in height above the cellar; the first, or main 
floor, to be the audience room; the second floor to be divided into school 
and class-rooms, for the sum of six thousand nine hundred and thirty- 
seven dollars and fifteen cents ($6,937.15), exclusive of the cost of 
furnaces and pipes for heating. 

The report was approved and the committee instructed to enter into 
a contract with the said brethren for the erection of the building. The 
corner-stone of this new building was laid in the afternoon of Saturday, 
September 6th, 1856. 

On September 15th, 1856, the Church was incorporated under the 
n ame of "St. Stephen's Methodist Episcopal Church of Germantown.'' 
On October 1st, 1856, an election was held for nine Trustees, being the 
first election held under the charter, when the following brethren were 
elected, viz: Jacob B. Thomas, Robert Thomas, Jonathan Wolf, John 



50 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



Campion, Joseph Barrett, John D. Caldwell, Samuel H. Collom, 
William Can* and Charles W. Howe. 

The church was opened for public worship on Sunday, December 
2 1 st, 1856. Sermon in the morning, by Bishop Levi Scott. Text, Psl. 
cxxxvii. 5 and 6. 

Sermon in the evening by the Rev. William P. Corbit. The amount 
raised in cash and reliable subscriptions during the day was $1325. 

At the Annual Conference, held at Wilmington, Delaware, March 
25th, 1857, Brother Heston reported, full members, 100; probationers, 68. 
At this conference, the Rev. William H. Elliott was appointed Pastor of 
the church. 

The first church building of St. Stephen's congregation was so 
exceedingly plain and unlike a church edifice in appearance, that it was 
mistaken by strangers passing by for a factory or mill building. When 
Brother Elliott first brought his family to Germantown, his young 
daughter, catching a view of the church, exclaimed, " Oh, papa, what 
factory is that?" 

"That, my daughter," he replied, "is the factory that 1 am going to 
work in." 

In 1866, under the pastorate of the Rev. John Thompson, it was 
determined to erect a new church building; and at a meeting of the 
membership, held on the evening of June 21st, 1866, it was unanimously 
resolved to erect a new church building in accordance with the plans 
prepared by Samuel H. Collom, and the Trustees were authorized to 
proceed with the work, with power to make such alterations or improve- 
ments as they might deem advisable. 

At a meeting of the Trustees, held July 10th, 1866, Robert Thomas, 
Samuel H. Collom and Edwin Markley, were appointed a committee to 
make arrangements for the renting and fitting up of the Market House, 
situate on the southwest side of the Main street, above Linden street 
(now Penn street;, for the use of the congregation, pending the erection 
of the new church edifice. At the same meeting, Samuel H. Collom was 



REV. NEWTON HESTON. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



53 



awarded the contract for the digging of the foundation and doing all the 
masonry, and to furnish materials therefor, for the price or sum of seven 
thousand six hundred and fifty ($7,650) dollars, he to have the material 
in the old building. He was also authorized to employ carpenters and to 
oversee and attend to the other parts of the work, upon the best possible 
terms; the Trustees to furnish the lumber and hardware for the same; 
and Brothers William Hodson, Smith E.Hughes and Edwin Markley 
were appointed a committee to superintend the building. 

At a meeting of the Trustees, held August 7th, 1866, the committee 
on renting Market House reported that they had taken a lease of the 
same, at a rental of forty ($40) dollars per month, with the privilege of 
removing therefrom all the lumber and other material placed therein by 
the Trustees when they should vacate the premises; and that the place 
was then ready for the congregation. The first public service was held 
in the Market House in the same month. 

The corner-stone of the new church building was laid on Wednes- 
day, October 7th, 1866, at three o'clock in the afternoon. The follow- 
ing brethren took part in the exercises, viz: Revs. T. A. Fernley, J. W. 
Barnhard, Curtis F. Turner, and the Rev. Bishop Matthew Simpson, 
who announced that the cxxxii. Psalm would be read by the Bishop and 
congregation responsively. 

The Psalm commences, "Lord, Remember David, in all his afflic- 
tions." Then followed the reading of the third chapter of first Corinth- 
ians by the Rev. James E. Meredith, beginning at the ninth verse, "For 
we are laborers together with God." This was followed by short 
addresses by Brother Alfred Cookman and Bishop Simpson. 

The congregation continued to worship in the Market House until 
the latter part of November, 1867. They then took possession of the 
new building, although it was in an unfinished condition. The services in 
the Market House were well attended, and many persons were converted 
therein, and joined the Church, and it was not without feelings of regret 



54 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



that we vacated the place. The music rendered by our choir was very 
attractive, and added very materially to the success of the Church. 

The new building was dedicated to the service of Almighty God on 
Sunday, December ist, 1867. The morning services were conducted by 
the Rev. Jacob Todd, the afternoon services by the Rev. James Neil, 
and in the evening the Rev. John S. Inskip, of the New York Confer- 
ence, preached a sermon. 

In the morning, Brother John Thompson announced that the Trus- 
tees needed five thousand ($5,000) dollars to pay the cost of the building 
up to that date. At the close of the evening service, it was announced 
that five thousand two hundred and sixty-four dollars and sixty nine 
cents ($5,264.69) had been secured in cash and reliable subscriptions. 
After this announcement, Brother Thomas W. Dyott, in behalf of the 
Board of Trustees, presented the building for dedication. The dedica- 
tor}' services were conducted by Brothers John Thompson (our Pastor), 
John S. Inskip, J. E. Meredith and Charles Karsner. 

At a meeting of the Board of Trustees, held April nth, 1871, it was 
resolved to finish the church building, and a committee was appointed 
for that purpose; and on December 17th, 1871, the Trustees made an 
agreement with Smith E. Hughes, to complete the building (including an 
end gallery) as suggested by Brother Cunningham (who was at that time 
Pastor-in-charge), for the sum of four thousand and sixty-five ($4,065) 
dollars. 

During the year 1881, under the pastorate of Rev. T. T. Everett, 
the lecture room and class rooms in the basement were rearranged and 
furnished at a cost of about four thousand ($4,000) dollars. 

In the year 1889, a Mission was formed and a Sunday-school estab- 
lished on the west side of Germantown, at the corner of Penn street and 
Patton avenue, which is chiefly under the care of the young people of 
the church, and has been self-sustaining. The Sunday-school at 
present meets at No. 405 Queen street. For some time past the prayer 
meetings have been discontinued. 




ST. STEPHEN'S (NEW) 
CHURCH. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



57 



A lot has been leased for the use of the Mission at Penn and Morris 
streets, and they contemplate erecting thereon a temporary building 
early in the coming spring (1895). 

At the Annual Conference, held at Philadelphia in the Green Street 
M. E. Church, March 9th, 1892, Brother A. L. Urban reported the 
strength of the Church as follows, viz: Number of Sunday-schools, 2; 
officers and teachers, 69; scholars, of all ages, 505; number of probation- 
ers, 6; full members, 430. At that conference, the Rev. A. G. Kynett 
was appointed Pastor. His pastorate, up to the present time, January 1st, 
1895, has been very successful, and the Church has to-day on her rolls 
23 probationers and 528 full members; 2 Sunday-schools, 55 officers and 
teachers and 469 scholars of all ages. 

St. Stephen's, from the day of its organization down to the present 
time, has been favored and blessed with an excellent choir, most of 
whom were and still are communicant members in good standing and 
faithful workers in the church and Sunday-school, and from their knowl- 
edge of music and the aptness of their leaders in selecting hymns and 
tunes appropriate to the occasion and the subject selected by the Pastor, 
they have been and still are a great help to the Pastor, and add ma- 
terially to his success. In the estimation of the writer, there is no more 
efficient and spiritually-minded choir within the limits of the Philadelphia 
Conference. 

Some of the former leaders and members of the choir have gone to 
their reward in heaven, to join with the angels and redeemed spirits in 
ascribing "Glory to God in the Highest." 

St. Stephen's M. E. Church has furnished the itineracy with a num- 
ber of preachers, viz: William Macafee, James McFarland, George W. 
F. Graff, Joseph B. Graff, Cornelius Hudson and Edson W. B. Tatlow. 

For a list of the preachers serving this charge, see Appendix. 



58 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



HISTORY OF THE HOUNT PLEASANT AVENUE M. E. CHURCH. 

In the year 1854, the Rev. Newton Heston, pastor of the Haines 
Street Church, Germantown, formed a class and Sunday-school at Mt. 
Pleasant; their place of meeting was a second-story room in a frame 
building, the first floor of which was used as a cabinet-maker's shop by 
Andrew Graver. The building belonged to Erasmus Pierce, and stood 
on the lot of ground on the northeast side of the Main street, next 
southeastward to Jacob Derr's property. For a time the class and 
Sunday-school were well attended, and arrangements were made for 
preaching services to be held on Sundays in the afternoons, and public 
prayer-meetings one evening every week. These services were well 
attended, being conducted generally by Local Preachers or Exhorters 
from Germantown. The prospect at that time was very good, and the 
membership looked forward to the time when Methodism at Mt. Airy 
would be permanently established and which they thought would be at 
no very distant day; in this for a time they were disappointed. 

In 1856, the Church at Germantown was divided and a new con- 
gregation formed, known as St. Stephen's, and Brother Heston was 
appointed to that charge. From that time forward the pastors of the 
churches in Germantown seemed to have lost their interest in the Mt. 
Airy Mission, and it gradually declined, until finally upon the sale of 
the lot and the building in which their meetings were held, the Mission 
was abandoned altogether. 

In the year 1874, the Rev. Joseph Mason, pastor of the Haines 
Street Church, formed a class of the members residing at or near Mt. 
Airy, and appointed Brother Gavin Neilson leader. The class met at 
the house of Brother Neilson on Franklin street. 

On the fourth day of April, 1875, the class changed their place of 
meeting to the large room on the second floor of the Odd Fellows' Hall, 
at the corner of Mt. Airy avenue and the Main street. 

A Sunday-school was then formed to meet at the same place, and 
known as the Mt. Airy Mission of the Haines Street Charge. Brother 




REV. A. F. DOTTERER. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



6] 



Charles M. Dungan was appointed as the Superintendent of the school, 
and Brother Christian Smith was selected as the leader of the class. 
Arrangements were also made for regular Sunday services, to be con- 
ducted by Local Preachers and Exhorters, who from time to time might 
be selected to fill the appointments. The services were conducted in 
this hall for about two years, but the congregations were frequently 
disappointed by reason of the brethren who were appointed to conduct 
the services, not putting in an appearance. 

In the summer of 1876, the brethren at Mt. Airy felt that it was 
necessary to secure a permanent place for worship, if they desired 
Methodism at that point to be a success. 

Mr. Jesse Hinkle offered to the congregation, through the writer of 
this, a lot of ground situate at the corner of Mt. Pleasant avenue and 
Bryan street, upon very reasonable terms, and Brother Gavin Neilson, 
when made acquainted with the offer, determined to secure the lot, and 
took title to the same in his own name, the lot having a frontage on 
Mt. Pleasant avenue of one hundred (100) feet and a depth on Bryan 
street of one hundred and thirty-one (131) feet. Consideration, a 
yearly ground rent of eighty ($80) dollars. 

At the next Quarterly Conference of the Haines Street Church, 
Brother Neilson laid the whole matter before them. They approved of 
his action, and appointed a committee to endeavor to secure funds to 
the amount of one thousand ($1,000) dollars or more, and if successful in 
raising the amount, to proceed with the erection of a chapel upon said 
lot. The committee consisted of Gavin Neilson, Edward Savage, Henry 
Smith, Enos F. Hesser, Mrs. Charles M. Dungan, Mrs. Christian Smith 
and Mrs. Hannah Hesser, with power to add to their number. The 
committee organized, and then added to their number Thomas B. Cope, 
R. S. Woddropp, William McArthur and John T. Walker. 

The committee, having met with great success and having secured 
more than the amount above-named, proceeded to have the chapel 
erected, the contract for which was given to H. F. Rodd, of Mt. Airy. 



62 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



The building, which is thirty-seven by fifty-one ( 37x51) feet, outside 
measurement, and a very substantial frame, was staked out on Tues- 
day, September 20th, 1876, and was formally dedicated for worship on 
Sunday, March 25th, 1877, when for the first time the bell, which was a 
donation from the builder, sent forth an invitation to the people to 
"Come up to the House of the Lord and worship." 

The following named brethren were present and took part in the 
dedicatory services, viz. : Revs. Joseph Mason, J. B. McCullough and 
Andrew Longacre, of the Philadelphia Conference, and Dr. E. H. 
Stokes, of the New Jersey Conference. 

On Sunday, April 7th, 1877, the services were conducted by the 
Rev. A. F. Dotterer, junior pastor of the Haines Street Church, whose 
special duty it was to take charge of this Mission, which was on that 
day formally organized, with a membership of 24, and a Sunday-school 
composed of 14 officers and teachers, and 60 scholars. The entire cost 
of the building, with the improvements, furniture, &c, was three 
thousand four hundred and twenty-four dollars and nine cents ($3424.09), 
all of which was raised and paid before the dedication, with the excep- 
tion of eight hundred ($800) dollars, which was provided for and sub- 
sequently paid. 

Two of the brethren who took an active part in all church work 
and labored hard to insure the erection of the building, viz. : Brothers 
Edward Savage, in his matured manhood, and Enos F. Hesser, in the 
full vigor of youth and activity, were taken from their field of labor to 
their reward in heaven before the building was completed. 

On the thirtieth day of March, 1880, Brother Gavin Neilson took 
title as Trustee, for twenty (20) feet of ground adjoining the church lot 
on the southwest in trust for the congregation. 

On the thirtieth day of June, 1881, the ground rent was extin- 
guished by the payment of one thousand three hundred and thirty- 
three dollars and thirty-three cents ($1333.33), thus freeing the church 
property from all indebtedness. 




MOUNT PLEASANT AVENUE M 



E. CHURCH. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



65 



On the first day of June, 1885, the congregation was incorporated 
by the name of "The Mount Pleasant Avenue Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Philadelphia." 

The Trustees named in the charter were : Thomas B. Cope, Robert 
Thomas, Robert T. Laughlin, Richard W. P. Gough, John T. Walker, 
Gavin Neilson, Charles K. Lippincott, Charles C. Crawford and David 
Cliffe. 

On the tenth day of September, 1885, Gavin Neilson and wife con- 
veyed the two lots of ground which he held intrust, to the congregation 
by their proper corporate name and title. 

In the year 1887, the Church purchased a lot of ground on Bryan 
street adjoining on the northwest their original lot, thus giving them 
an additional frontage on Bryan street of eighteen feet, six inches 
(18ft. 6in.) 

In the year 1893, the congregation built a fine stone parsonage on 
their lot fronting on Mt. Pleasant avenue, containing fourteen rooms, 
and furnished with all modern conveniences; the cost of the parsonage 
and furniture being about eight thousand ($8,000) dollars; and in 
January, 1884, the preacher-in-charge, Rev. J. E. Grauley, moved into 
the same. 

The membership of the church on January 1st, 1895, was 200; 
and the Sunday-school was composed of 29 officers and teachers, and 
225 scholars. 

For list of preachers serving this charge, see Appendix. 

HISTORY OF THE CHESTNUT HILL n. E. CHURCH. 

Prior to the year 1821, their had been occasional preaching at 
Chestnut Hill by the Methodist preachers of Bristol Circuit, it being 
within the limits of said circuit, but not one of the regular appointments. 

In the year 1821, John Maguffin, a Presbyterian, residing at Chest- 
nut Hill, built a chapel on his ground, on the road leading from the 
Main street toward the Wissahickon, called Graver's lane, and now 



66 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



known as Union avenue. He named the building " Union Chapel," it 
being free for Christians of all denominations to worship therein. In 
1822, Chestnut Hill was recognized as one of the regular preaching 
places of Bristol Circuit, and the preachers visited it once in six weeks. 
There was generally preaching there in the chapel every other week, the 
services being conducted by Local Brethren or Exhorters when the Cir- 
cuit Preachers were not there. About this time a class was formed at 
Chestnut Hill, and William Hawes was appointed the leader. The class 
met at the house of Jacob Hawes, on the Main street, near what is now 
known as Highland avenue, from the year 1823 down to the year 
1853, when Jacob Hawes removed from Chestnut Hill. 

In the spring of the year 1832, Bristol Circuit was divided and 
Germantown Circuit formed, the latter having fourteen appointments, 
of which Chestnut Hill was one. 

In the year 1844, the congregation at Chestnut Hill determined to 
build a house of worship for themselves on a lot of ground which they 
had secured on the west side of the Main street, or Reading Pike, near 
what is now known as Chestnut avenue, and upon which the present 
church edifice stands; and the next year they built thereon a stone 
chapel building, two stories in height, the corner-stone of which was 
laid in June, 1845, an ^ the building finished and dedicated. 

Among the active members at that time, was Brother Jacob Win- 
dolph, who is still living at this writing and is an honored and useful mem- 
ber of the Church. In connection with the history of this church, it seems 
but just to mention the name of John Schultz, who, although not a 
member, took great interest in the building of the church, and, shortly 
after the building was finished, joined the Church, and remained a 
faithful and liberal member of it until his removal to Norristown, where 
he still resides, and is now in the eighty-sixth year of his age; and 
although living at Norristown at the time of the erection of the present 
church edifice, he was one of the most liberal contributors toward it. 



CHESTNUT HILL M. E. CHURCH. 



METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 



69 



On May 18th, 1847, the society was incorporated by the name of 
"The Wesley Methodist Episcopal Chapel of Chestnut Hill." 

In the year 1851, Germantown was set apart as a station, and 
Chestnut Hill Circuit was formed, and in the year 1858, Chestnut Hill 
became a station. 

In the year 1877, during the pastorate of the Rev. S. T. Kemble, 
the congregation erected a substantial parsonage on their lot adjoining 
the church on the north, at a cost of about five thousand ($5,000) dollars; 
and through the untiring efforts of Brother Kemble, assisted by Brother 
Windolph and others, three thousand ($3,000) dollars of this amount 
was raised, and the remaining two thousand ($2,000) dollars was 
secured by giving a mortgage on the premises for that amount. 

Sister Louisa Lentz, a member of the Church, in her last will and 
testament, directed her executors to pay to the Church two thousand 
($2,000) dollars for the purpose of wiping out the mortgage. This 
was done, and the parsonage freed from debt immediately after her 
decease. 

During the year 1882, Brother Samuel Irvin, preacher-in-charge, 
raised about one thousand ($1,000) dollars in cash as the nucleus of a 
"building fund for the new church which they then had in contemplation. 

In March, 1884, the Rev. A. F. Dotterer was appointed pastor, and 
on August 25th, 1884, ground was broken for the new church, the 
corner-stone of which was laid on September 25th, 1884; and on June 
21st, 1885, the building being completed, it was dedicated to the service 
of Almighty God, free from debt. The old church and the new are 
connected, thus forming an attractive church and chapel. The entire 
cost of these improvements was about twelve thousand ($12,000) 
dollars. 

The Church has at present (January, 1895), 126 members in full 
standing, and 16 probationers; and a Sunday-school of 14 officers and 
teachers, and 80 scholars. 

This charge is in a very flourishing condition, both church and 



70 METHODISM IN GERMANTOWN. 

parsonage being well and neatly furnished, the congregations good and 
the attendance increasing. 

For list of preachers serving this charge, see Appendix. 




THE CENTENNIAL OF METHODISn IN GERMANTOWN. 

In concluding this history, the writer desires to state that he has 
been frequently asked the question, "When will be the proper time to 
celebrate the Centennial anniversary of Methodism in Germantown?" 
and in answer thereto says, that in his opinion, the present year (1895) 
is the proper time, for the following reasons, viz.: 

I find, by referring to the minute book of the Trustees of the German- 
town Academy, that in the winter of the years 1794 and 1795 the 
Methodists had the privilege of worshipping in the Academy Building, 
and about that time a class was formed, of which Joseph Jacobs, a 
Wesleyan, was selected as the leader. The class met in private houses, 
and the outlook was so encouraging, that on the fourth day of June, 
1796, Rev. Ezekiel Cooper appointed Brother Jacobs the regular leader 
of the class, which, at that time, had eleven members. 

Thus, in my mind, the forming of the class in 1795, which after- 
ward proved so successful, fixes the date.forthe Centennial Anniversary 
in the year 1895. 

ROBERT THOMAS, 
January, i8g^. Compiler. 



Appendix. 



List of Presiding Elders having supervision over the Churches of 
Germantown and Chestnut Hill, from the year 1805 to January, 1895: 



1805 Solomon Sharp. 

1806 

1807 • 

1808 William P. Chandler. 

1809 William Hunter. 

1810 

1811 

1812 

1813 Henry Boehm. 

1814 

18 1 5 Robert R. Roberts. 

1816 Daniel Hitt. 

1817 " " 

1818 " '* 



1819 Daniel Hitt. 

1820 James Bateman. 

1821 

1822 

1823 

1824 Joseph Lybrand. 

1825 

1826 

1827 

1828 William Thatcher. 

1829 

1830 

1831 ....... Manning Force. 

1832 



1833 George Banghart. 

1834 • • 

1835 • 

1836 

1837 . James Smith. 



1839 
1840 
1841 
1842 
1843 
1844 



832 — Germantown Circuit Formed. 

1845 J- A. Massey. 

1846 " " 

1847 " " 

1848 " " 

1849 J. P. Durbin. 

1850 Elijah Miller. 

*i85i " " 

1852 J. D. Curtis. 

1853 " 

1854 " 

1855 " 



Solomon Higgins. 



* Germantown made a station and Chestnut Hill Circ-uit formed. 



APPENDIX {Continued). 



^1856 . James Cunningham 

1857 " 

1858 

1859 " 

1860 T. J. Thompson. 

1861 

1862 

1863 William L. Gray. 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 . Joseph Castle. 

1868 " 

1869- 

1870 " 

1871 " 

1872 Wiliiam H. Elliott. 

1873 " 

1874 " 

1875 " 

* St. Stephen's Church organized. 

f Mt. Pleasant Avenue became a station 



1876 Aaron Rittenhouse. 

1877 " 

1878 " 

1879 William Swindells. 

1880 



1883 Joseph Welsh. 

1884 " 

1885 " 

1886 . ...... " 

1887 John F. Meredith. 

1888 " 

I-1889 " 

1890 " 

1891 Samuel W. Thomas 

1892 

1893 " 

1894. " 



APPENDIX (Continued). 



List of Preachers in charge of Bristol Circuit, together with number 
of members on the circuit from 1794 to 1828, after which date we have 
no record of the number of members on the circuit. 







NO. OF 


YEAR. 


PREACHER. 


MEMBERS 


1794 . . . 


. . . William Hunter and John Bateman 


. • 217 


1795 • • • 




• • 173 


1796 . • • 


. . . William Colbert and James Whitby . 


• • 157 


1797 • • • 




• • 153 


1798 • • • 




• • 163 


1799 • • • 






I800 . • • 


. . . Anning Owen and Joseph Osborn 


• • 173 


l80T . . . 


. . . William P. Chandler and John Fidler 




1802 - . . 


. . . Eishart McCoy and Thomas Jones 


. • 220 


1803 • • ■ 


. . . Henry Clarke and John Bothel 


• • 232 


1804 • • . 




• • 237 


1805 • • • 




. . 237 


1806 • • • 


. . . Asa Smith, D. Hegby and William Hoyer 


. • 249 


1807 • • • 


. . - John Walker and Richard Lyon 


• • 273 


1808 • • • 










• • 387 


l8lO . . . 


. . . James Aikens, William Fisher and William P. Chandler . 


• • 531 


l8l I • • • 


. . . Thomas Boring and William Fisher . . . • • • 


• • 469 


I8I2 . • . 




j ^ j 


I8I3. • • 




■ • 536 


I8I4 • • • 




■55- 


I8I5 • • . 


. . . William Torbert and William Foulke 




I8l6 • • - 




* 


I8I7 • • • 




- • 504 


I8l8 • • - 


. . . John Robinson and John Price 


• • 533 


I8l9 • - ■ 




• • 543 


I820 . . • 


. . . Manning Force and Phineas Price 




I82I • . . 
1822. . • 


■ - • L 


* 


1823 • • • 






1824 ■ • • 






1825 . . - 


. . . Edward Stout, Samuel Grace and Robert Geary (a supply) 


* 


1826 • • . 


. . . Edward Stout and Joseph Carey 




1827 . . . 




* 


1828 • • • 






1829 . . • 






I83O - . • 


. . . Thomas Neil and Manlove Hazel 




1831 • • • 


. . . Edward Page, John Finley and James Long . 





* No record. 



APPENDIX {Continued). 



1832- Germantown Circuit Formed. 



List of Preachers for Germantown Circuit: 

NO. OF 

YEAR. PREACHER. MEMBERS. 

1832 John Finley and John Nicholson * 

1833 John Woolson and William Granvill * 

1834 John Woolson, William Granvill and Henry Sutton * 

1835 William W- Foulk and William H. Gilder * 

1836 " " " " * 

1837 Caleb Lippincott and M. D. Curts (a supply) * 

1838 Caleb Lippincott and Silas C. Palmer (an assistant) * 

1839 George Lacey and J. L. Taft * 

1840 David Daily, J. L. Taft and William H. Gilder (a supernumer- 

ary) .... * 

1841 David Dailey, David Shields (and James Neil for part of the 

year) * 

1842 John A. Roach and William H. Gilder (a supernumerary) . . * 

1843 James Cunningham * 

1844 " " ■ * 

1845 John S. Inskip and Peter Hallowell * 

1846 Mahlon H. Sisty and Samuel Pancoast . . . . * 

1847 Mahlon H. Sisty and J. E. Meredith * 

1848 ...... J. D. Curtis (and Alfred Cookman, for Chestnut Hill) ... * 

1849 J. D. Curtis (and J. B. McCullough for Chestnut Hill) .... * 

1850 Gasoway Oram (and Reuben Owen for Chestnut Hill) .... * 

1 85 1 — Germantown Made a Station. 

135 1 Gasoway Orum ... * 

1852 George D. Bowen * 

1853 " " * 

1854 Newton Heston * 

1855 " " * 

-j-1856 George Quigley * 

1857 " " * 

1858 William McCoombs * 

1859 J. H. Alday * 

1860 " " * 

1861 ... • . . Charles Karsner * 

1862 " " • • • * 

1863 ...... George W. McLaughlin * 

1864 " " * 

1865 J. B. Maddox * 

1866 J. E. Meredith * 



* No record. 

t St. Stephen's Church formed. 



APPENDIX {Continued). 

NO. OF 

YEAR. PREACHER. MEMBERS. 

1867 J.E.Meredith * 

1868 G. D. Carrow * 

1869 " " . * 

1870 " " * 

1871 Thomas C Murphy * 

1872 " " * 

1873 " " * 

1874 Joseph Mason * 

1875 " " • • * 

1876 " " * 

1877 Robert Whinna (A. F. Dotterer for Mt. Pleasant) * 

1878 " " " " " " * 

1879 " " " " " " * 

1880 J. Hepburn Hargis (Frank H. Moore for Mt. Pleasant). ... * 

1881 " " " " " " ... * 

1882 " " " " " " ... * 

1883 E. B. Snyder (H. R. Robinson for Mt. Pleasant) * 

1884 " " " " " * 

1885 E. B. Snyder (G. M. Brodhead for Mt. Pleasant) * 

1886 J. H. Hargis (G. M. Brodhead for Mt. Pleasant) * 

1887 " " " " " " * 

1888 J. H. Hargis (G. Bickley Burns for Mt. Pleasant) ....... * 

I-1889 J. H. Hargis * 

1890 .... • . R. W. Humphriss . . . * 

1891 " " * 

1892 • . . . . . R. W. Humphriss and A. Greaves assistant for East Side 

Mission * 

1893 R. W. Humphriss (A. D. Shields for East Side Mission) ... * 

1894 FrankfR. Parkins (A. D. Shields for East Side Mission) . . * 



[List of Preachers serving in St. Stephen's charge: 



1856 Newton Heston. 

1857 . • William H. Elliott. 

1858 

1859 Samuel W. Thomas 

i860 

1861 Curtis F. Turner. 

1862 " 

1863 Wesley Kenny. 

1864 • 

1865 

* No record. 

f Mt .Pleasant Avenue became a station 



1866 John Thompson. 

1867 " 



1869 Michael Day. 

1870 

1871 

1872 James Cunningham. 

1873 " 

1874 " 

1875 J. B. Maddox. 



APPENDIX {Continued), 



1876 
1877 



1879 



*i882 
1883 • 



. Jacob Todd. 

. Charles W. Bickley. 



Thomas T. Everett. 



Wesley C. Best. 



1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 

1893 
1894 



S. H. Heilner. 



A. L. Urban. 



Alpha G. Kynett. 



Preachers in charge of Mt. Pleasant Avenue Church after it 
became a station: 

A Heebner. 1892 . Jacob E. Grauley. 



1889 
1890 
1891 



1893 
1894 



Preachers in charge of the Chestnut Hill Church since its separa- 
tion from the Germantown Circuit in 185 1. 



185 1 Andrew Longacre. 

1852 " 

1853. ..... . T. Snowden Thomas. 

1854 

1855 Henry Bodine. 

1856 J. L. Heysinger. 

1857 Rich'd W. Humphrys. 

1858 Noble Frame. 

1859 T. M. Griffith. 

1860 • S. L. Gracey. 

1861 ....... S. N. Chew. 

1862 . " 

1863 J. F. Reynolds. 

1864 J. Mast. 

1865 

1866 Charles I. Little. 

1867 S. Townsend- 

1868 " 

1869 Andrew Manship. 

1870 

1871 ....... 

872 O. L. Haddock. 



1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 

1877 
1878 

1879 
188c 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 



George W. Lybrand. 
J. R. Merrill. 

S. T. Kemble. 



J. B. Maddox. 
Joseph S. .Cook. 
Samuel Irwin. 

Thomas W. Simpers. 
Abner F. Dotterer. 



J. P. Miller. 

W. P- Howell. 
Charles H. Rorer. 



* In December, 1882, Brother Everett resigned the pastorate to accept the position of 
Private Secretary to Governor Pattison, and the Presiding Elder appointed Joseph Mason 
to fill the unexpired term. 



ROBERT THOMAS. 



\ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



0 028 310 206 3 



